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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28486050">Hall of Shame, Fix'd</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/fckyeahgallavich/pseuds/fckyeahgallavich'>fckyeahgallavich</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shameless (US), gallavich - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Conversations, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fix-It, M/M, Making Up</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 16:07:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,077</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28486050</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/fckyeahgallavich/pseuds/fckyeahgallavich</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ian and Mickey have a bit of a pattern to their relationship. You ever notice that? Every time they have a disagreement, one or both men act like complete children until there's an explosion (physical, verbal, sexual) followed by reunification (always sexual) and FINALLY a discussion.<br/>Maybe they're just not going to question what works , or maybe they're just both a little dumb. For whatever reason, that's just what they do.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ian Gallagher &amp; Mickey Milkovich, Ian Gallagher/Mickey Milkovich</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>75</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Hall of Shame, Fix'd</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ian and Mickey have a bit of a pattern to their relationship. You ever notice that?</p><p>Step 1: The argument. It may be small and petty or actually  a pretty serious deal, but either way, they're pissed with each other.</p><p>Step 2: The temper tantrum. Immediately following the initial argument, they each start out acting like children - Ian's Chin, Mickey's name-calling or passive-aggressive 'I'll show him' nonsense. </p><p>Step 3: The explosion. It may be hours or maybe <em>days </em>later that they either realize their petty bullshit isn't getting them anywhere or one or both get tired of their own bullshit and so they confront each other.</p><p>Step 4: The explosion pt 2. Fuck it out. Sometimes step 3 and step 4 meld, but still... There's a distinction which must be made.</p><p>Step 5: Reunification. Only after they have had their screaming match or physical pissing contest and gotten the last of their frustration out through their bodies will they <em>then </em>talk. </p><p>For some reason, neither Ian nor Mickey have seemed to realize this pattern. Maybe they're just not going to question what works - they always come back together, after all. Or, maybe they're just both a little dumb. For whatever reason, that's just what they do.</p><p>This includes after their quarantine spat where... Well... Both said things they definitely shouldn't have. Each man had their chance to get their aggression out in the most loving way  they knew how.</p><p>Resting side by side in bed, laying in the resounding silence following consistent noise, leaves a lot of space for deep, bothersome thoughts. </p><p>"I don't actually think you're a loon," Mickey blurted, voice cracking. Ian's head flashed to his husband laying beside him. He swallowed and murmured, "I know."</p><p>Mickey turned to return his gaze, eyes filled with regret and apology.</p><p>They laid in silence for another long moment.</p><p>"You know I don't want you to change, right?" Ian asked. Mickey shrugged. Ian's heart deflated in his chest. His husband thought he didn't love him as he was... "Mick..."</p><p>"Maybe there are some changes that should be made," Mickey mumbled.</p><p>"Mick, no -" </p><p>"It's just all I know, man."</p><p>"That's not even <em>remotely </em>true, Mick." Mickey turned to glance at Ian as though asking, 'oh, really, bitch?' Ian struggled for a second. "The - the Kash N Grab," Ian clarified. Mickey rolled his eyes and snorted. </p><p>"I dealt there the whole time," Mickey argued.</p><p>"Well, just do what you did minus the drugs," Ian replied easily.</p><p>Mickey rolled his eyes.</p><p>"So you want us to live in this shithole for the rest of our lives?" Mickey demanded. Ian sighed.</p><p>"I want you to not go back to <em>prison, </em>Mick!" Mickey grimaced, his usual 'bitch, please' expression.</p><p>"You do remember that a majority of my stints were because I basically <em>volunteered </em>to go in, right?" Ian groaned.</p><p>"For the petty shit, maybe! But it only took <em>one time </em>to get fifteen fucking years -"</p><p>"<em>That </em>wasn't -"</p><p>"I know, I know," Ian interrupted, having heard this argument a million times. "It was wrongful incarceration. <em>Us </em>knowin' that wouldn't have taken away that fifteen you were sitting with, though."</p><p>Mickey exhaled sharply through his nose.</p><p>Another long silence.</p><p>"If we're gonna rely on scams and shit for money... we gotta agree with each other... Gotta each be okay with the risks."</p><p>"Okay, but if it's up to you we wouldn't be runnin' <em>any</em>," Mickey pointed out.</p><p>"I was okay with the moving truck!" Ian argued.</p><p>"You were manic," Mickey replied dismissively, like that simple fact made Ian's perspective insignificant or wrong.</p><p>Ian bristled and clenched his teeth tight, so tight it nearly hurt as he averted his eyes to the ceiling.</p><p>"You know... I'm allowed to have thoughts and ideas that are valid <em>even </em>when I'm manic, right?" The air stilled as though Mickey, no, both of them, stopped breathing. Ian sat up, turning around in bed to stand. Mickey sat up too, but scooted to the wall to lean against and watch Ian warily. Ian silently dressed and, as he pulled a fresh tee shirt over his head, turned back around to face Mickey.</p><p>"Look, I... I know it's been years since you've had to deal with my mental illness, that you kinda have to relearn this shit... And one of the <em>first </em>fucking things I need you to understand is I am not helpless to it. I don't just... <em>automatically </em>go off the rails and even when I'm struggling a bit, not everything I think and believe is suddenly crazy." Mickey's cheeks reddened the slightest bit - maybe it was shame, perhaps it was anger. Either way, Ian was on a roll, this shit had to be said. "You used to be so fuckin' supportive, got pissed at me for havin' insecurities about how you'd feel about it -"</p><p>"Your thing," Mickey interrupted, "was about me not lovin' you for it. I love you for everything you are, Ian, and you should fuckin' -"</p><p>"Then quit makin' me feel bad for having it!" Ian cried. Mickey's mouth snapped shut, disbelief shining in his eyes.</p><p>"Ian -"</p><p>"The cost of my meds, the shit I did before I was medicated, the shit I did when I went off it that <em>one </em>time, how it is when I need an adjustment, when I'm just havin' a <em>bad... fuckin'... day.</em>" He was panting now as he made this list in a single breath. "Why do you need to comment on this shit to make a point, to deflect when I come to you about something?" Mickey's tongue peeked out for a brief second, moistening his lip before pulling it into his mouth to bite down. He was clearly at a loss.</p><p>Ian stood there just staring at his husband, watching him wrestle with himself.</p><p>He stood there until he realized his shoulders were tensed and he focused on relaxing them. He stood there until the open air on his bare arms sent a chill down his spine. He stood there until it was too awkward to continue watching him.</p><p>He looked away, hand swiping at his neck in discomfort. To his left, the sheets rustled, announcing his movement. When Ian turned back to face him, Mickey was perched on the edge of the bed, running a finger down the side of his mouth. Ian stood between Mickey's spread knees and Mickey lightly gripped Ian's forearms. He opened his mouth to speak, but his eyes remained downcast, refusing to meet Ian's gaze.</p><p>"I shouldn't o' talked about your bipolar like that... Like it's somethin' you can control or... somethin' you don't take seriously, or somethin' that makes you..." he sighed. "I don't even know..." His jaw laxed and Ian could see with that open mouth, his tongue brushing along the sharp edges of his back molars. "And... And yeah,, it's weird for me suddenly being around it all the time, but... without being around it, you know?" Ian arched a brow, silently asking for clarification, as Mickey returned his gaze to Ian's. "Before, it was impossible to ignore; obviously something wasn't right, no matter how hard I didn't wanna admit it. Now, I know it's still there, I know it's not goin' away, but it's <em>not </em>there, you know? You've changed so much while I was away, but I haven't changed at all... And I never will. If only 'cuz I don't want to." Ian ran a hand through his husband's hair.</p><p>"I don't want you to change either," Ian promised, grinning as a thought struck him. "I mean, remember how I was so <em>pissed </em>'cuz you suddenly started treating me with kid gloves after I got medicated? Like, yeah, part of it was the kid gloves and bein' annoyed that everyone was treating me like an invalid or... a baby just because I got diagnosed with a mental illness... But really it was because you've always been my one constant. Yeah, you're an asshole and yeah you're not always a charmer," they both snorted at what they both considered an understatement. "But that's what I've always loved about you." Ian ran a tender hand through Mickey's slightly sweat-dampened hair. "So, no I don't want you to change... And you don't have to walk on eggshells around my feelings or shit like that. But makin' those comments? I can't deal with that, Mickey, because I <em>know </em>you know it's fucked up and unnecessary." Mickey exhaled sharply and nodded his head gently. He leaned back out of Ian's hold and ran both hands down his face in a tired gesture -- but it wasn't tiredness, he was frustrated.</p><p>"You've changed so fuckin' much... But I'm still on my shit, and that's not gonna change... So the cheap shot..." He groaned and shook his head again, more violently this time. "The cheap shot is just an easy out from talkin' about my shit-"</p><p>"Well... enough o' that, " Ian interrupted firmly. "I'm worried about you goin' back to prison, Mickey, and I'm not gonna stop worryin' about that. We can find a way to compromise, I'm sure of it." Mickey bit his lip.</p><p>" Y'know it ain't because I haven't <em>tried</em>. I just ... I really, <em>really </em>don't do normal or... Conventional." Ian nodded and turned to sit on the bed next to him.</p><p>"We'll figure it out," Ian repeated. It sounded like a promise.</p><p>"And shitting on your bipolar is over," Mickey vowed. Ian nodded sadly. He wasn't going to say thank you, but he didn't know what else to say so he stayed quiet for a long moment until another thought occurred to him.</p><p>"And... Maybe 87% sounded better in my head..." Ian grinned. Mickey snorted.</p><p>"Please! How the fuck would <em>you</em> feel if I had a percentage in the pocket to tell you, off the cuff, how much I love you?" Ian had to admit ... That'd hurt.</p><p>"You know I love you more than anything, Mickey," Ian murmured. </p><p>"In theory," Mickey grumbled. Ian's brows furrowed and he actually jerked back a little at Mickey's tone.</p><p>"Jesus, Mick, I really didn't think that would upset you so much..." Mickey's breath burst through his closed lips in a sardonic laugh.</p><p>"Yeah, being told by your husband that you only have a <em>very specific </em>portion of his heart is just-"</p><p>"Look," Ian sighed. Mickey's brow arched giving his expression an aggressively defensive edge. "Had I known how much that would fuck with you, I wouldn't have given a number, that was stupid. You mean everything to me, Mickey. I mean that. And I'm not gonna pretend to not know why you're freaked at the thought of me not being all in..." Mickey's brows shot up in a look that said 'well, duh, it's obvious, dumbass.' "But... please trust me. I do love you more than anyone else in the world, I wouldn't have married you otherwise."</p><p>Mickey exhaled sharply and dragged his hand over his face again. The muscles in his back visibly tensed and Ian waited patiently for the moment to fully sink in.</p><p>They were alright. Neither had really given an apology per se as most people would demand, but they'd each acknowledged what they'd done wrong. And hey, for these particular boys that was enough.</p><p>"You know I fuckin' hate these drawn out conversations," Mickey groaned after a dreadfully long silence. Ian smirked.</p><p>"Well maybe if you'd stop being an ass they wouldn't be necessary," he teased. Mickey's brows rose in time to the broad smile that spread across his face.</p><p>"<em>Oh, </em>it's always <em>me, </em>huh?!" Mickey playfully bellowed.</p><p>"Of course! You even -"</p><p>In two seconds flat Mickey had Ian pinned across their bed, either leg straddled astride his husband's lap. Ian beamed up at his still-naked husband.</p><p>"You li'l shit," Mickey hissed, broad grin emphasizing the playful mood encompassing their bodies.</p><p>"Who, me?" Ian's eyes widened in feign innocence.</p><p>"Yeah, I'm about ta wipe that shit-eating grin off your face," Mickey growled before crashing his lips to Ian's. With the redheads hands still being pinned down, Ian was totally at his mercy (and fuckin' loved it).</p><p>When Mickey pulled back for air, readjusting his hold on his husband's wrists, they both were smiling broadly.</p><p>"I fuckin' love you," Ian whispered as though mesmerized. Mickey softened just the tiniest bit and lowered himself to kiss Ian just as softly.</p><p>"I love you too," he murmured against Ian's lips.</p><p>And so they commenced to step six of their process: the after discussion lovemaking session.</p>
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